Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 8 (4), October 2009, pp. 551-558
Traditional foods and beverages of Ladakh
Angchok D*, Dwivedi SK & Ahmed Z
Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, DRDO, C/o 56 APO
E-mail: [email protected]
Received 12 February 2007; revised 14 January 2008
Ladakh, truly described as high altitude cold-arid desert is one of the far most eastern regions of J&K state, India.
Because of unfavourable and hostile environment prevailing over the region, cultivation is limited to a very less scale
(both time and place). Under these conditions, one of the major reasons behind human habitation is the ingenuity of local
people, who has devised new and sustainable way of living. One major product of this ingenuity is the traditional foods and
beverages, which over the time has been evolved (through outside influence and local resources available) and established in
the fooding system of Ladakhi people. An attempt has been made to bring forth those dishes and beverages, which are true
representative of the region. The very common dishes like kholak and paba has been described in detail including the
preparation methods.
Keywords: Ladakh, Traditional foods, Beverages, Ladakhi, Kholak, Paba
IPC Int.Cl8.: A61K36/00, A01G1/00, A01G17/00, A47G19/00, A23L1/00, A23L1/06
Ladakh constitutes the easternmost trans-Himalayan
part of J&K state of India, bordering Pakistan and
China. Truly described as cold arid desert, it covers an
area of 59,146 sq km situated along the valleys of the
Indus river1. Intensive sunlight, high evaporation rate,
strong winds, and fluctuating temperature (30-40°C)
characterize the general climate. With spare
vegetation, there is little moisture in the atmosphere.
Because of high mountains all round and heavy
snowfall during winter, the area remains inaccessible
to the outside world for nearly six months in a year
(Fig. 1)2. The growing season is only a few months
long every year. But over the centuries, the people of
Ladakh developed a farming system uniquely adapted
to this unique environment. Farming is small scale;
traditionally, each family owns a few acres of land,
and their whitewashed mud houses are grouped
together in villages whose size varies according to the
availability of water. The principal crop is barley, the
mainstay of traditional Ladakhi food. In the valleys
there are orchards, and up on the high pastures, where
not even barley grows, people husband yaks, cows or
sheep. The poorest people drink chhang (local barley
beer), often in place of the more expensive tea3-6.
A drink called tsigu chhu is made from ground apricot
——————
∗
Corresponding author
Fig. 1—Location map of the study area
kernels and water, at least in Dhomkar area of lower
Ladakh (Fig. 2). A wild fruit, chasta ruru, usually
known as tsestallu (Seabuckthorn, Hippochae
rhamnoides), is used for preparing juice and jam
(Fig. 3). Regarding the interventions made by various
research and developmental institutions, there has
been a tremendous improvement in the diversity,
quantity and quality of cultivated crops (especially
vegetables). It has been demonstrated (on field
conditions) that around 64 different kinds of
552
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 4 OCTOBER 2009
vegetables can be successfully grown in Ladakh.
Presently, local farmers in Ladakh are successfully
growing newly introduced crops like kale, parsely,
celery, summer squash, okra, and various cucurbits.
The increase in crop diversity has helped them to
increase their income and improve the nutritional
uptake. It is providing income to the local farmers.
Tagi Thalkhuruk (Bread uncovered and baked in ashes)
Traditional foods and beverages
Most of the foods and beverages described are
made throughout the region. However, the elevation
of the cultivable land affects both the length of the
growing season and the choice of crops produced. The
staple diet of region is huskless barley, or grim, which
is roasted and ground for use as flour, tsampa
(Tibetan) or namphey (Ladakhi), or for making the
local beer brew, chhang. For a quick, nutritious and
warming breakfast or lunch it is hard to beat butter tea
with kholak. These foods are easy to make, simple,
least fuel consuming, ingredients available locally and
preferred. The majority of the dishes that follows are
sustaining food for the people of a remote region.
It is thick round bread, dough made off lour mixed
with molten butter and well beaten egg white. To
make the bread more attractive and shinny, egg yolk
is spread on the upper surface of the bread. These are
baked by placing them over flat sheets of iron covered
with hot ash from all sides. After it is fully backed, it
gives a mouth watering flavour and is removed from
the iron sheet.
Bakeries
Breads are made from wheat flour (Paqphey) as
well as barley flour (narjen– meaning uncooked
barley) or a mixture of the two. At times breads are
also made from pea or lentil flour. Sometimes, pea
and wheat are mixed and ground into flour which
makes it more nourishing and palatable7.
It is soft to eat and resembles a dosa except that it
is thicker and is served with milk or tea. It is made by
putting a thick paste of wheat flour (fermented
overnight) over moderately heated tava spread with a
thin layer of fat or oil.
Tagi Khambir or Skyurchuk (Browned sour dough bread)
A bread (tagi is the general name for bread) eaten
throughout Ladakh. Skurchuk is the name by which
the bread is generally known in the villages (Skyur
means sour, chuk means mixed with); thagi khambir
is its Leh name. Before baking powder was available,
Ladakhis use local soda (pul) from the Nubra valley.
In a traditional kitchen the dough would first be
cooked on a cast iron plate placed over one of the
cooking holes in the stove, under which is the fire of
wood or cow dung (Fig. 4). Then it will be finished
off on the ambers inside.
Tagi Buskhuruk (Puffed unleavened bread)
The dough is the same as for tagi shrabmo (similar
to chappati), but the rounds are made thicker and small
in size (Buskhuruk means unleavened). They are
cooked briefly as above, but are allowed to puff up, and
are then, if possible, put in the ashes of stove or fire.
Traditionally, it is backed on a plate placed on a cow
dung fire, covered with another plate and more dung.
This is lighter than tagi thalshrak (covered and
backed in ashes) and is therefore good for people who
are not well (Fig. 5). The dough is made in the same
way but the bread is cooked uncovered on a plate, on
the ashes – thalkhuruk.
Tagi Mer-Khour
Tagi Thal-Khour
It is similar to tagi mer-khour except the butter and
egg. It is backed directly in hot ash, charcoal or dung
fire.
Tagi Tain-Tain
Tagi Kiseer/Giziri
It is made as tagi tain-tain where wheat flour is
substituted by buckwheat flour.
Skien/Mayaro
It is made by making dough of flour and sheep fat,
given the shape of an ibex horn and then backed on
charcoal. While consuming it is broken, and the bread
along with the fat is heated in a bowl and mixed
together. It is made especially during losar (Ladakhi
New Year–generally falls in December-January),
decorated on the kitchen shelf and is presented to
close relatives and neighbours (Fig. 6).
Kaptsey/Makhori
Thick round bread made of wheat flour. The edge
is turned, twisted and pressed to give a woven
appearance, cooked in oil medium and sugar may be
added as per the taste. It is presented when a girl child
is born. In Baltis and Shin tribes (in Kargil district), it
is also presented by the grooms family to the brides
family during the betrothal and marriage ceremonies.
At Losar the Dard or Shin tribals of Drass, stuff the
ANGCHOK et al.: TRADITIONAL FOODS AND BEVERAGES OF LADAKH
553
makhori with animal fat and send it as present to the
close female relatives like daughters, sisters, and close
cousins.
In the Zanskar valley, in place of tea, kholak may be
made with tsiri or singri, which is diluted chhang8.
Tagi Tsabkhur (Ground sprouted wheat bread)
The chhang (fermented barley drink) residue is
dried and ground together with roasted barley. It is
then mixed with butter tea, or sometimes water, and
left overnight to be eaten the next morning, with
snamthuk.
It is very easy to cook and the taste is very sweet,
but making the flour from the sprouted wheat or
barley is a little complicated and interesting.
Tsabkhuruk means sprouted grain and cooked covered
(as opposed to thalkhuruk, which means not sprouted
and uncovered). It is said to be good for pregnant
women.
Sephe Tagi (Freshly sprouted wheat bread)
This bread is made in springtime in the Zanskar
valley. The grain is sprouted as above, but is used
fresh when the sprouts are about 1 cm long. The
sprouts are crushed in a pestle and mortar and then
mixed with water. This mixture is added to flour to
make moist/loose dough. The dough is cooked with a
little fat, or dry, on a heated stone or griddle. It swells,
like tagi khambir, and is eaten split with a little fat or
butter added inside.
Khura (Sweet deep fried biscuits)
It is made especially for Losar. When a married
girl visits her parent’s home during Losar, she will
carry with her plate of khura for the family members
(Fig. 7). In olden days, local flour would be used, and
may be still in use in some villages. Nowadays, a few
people use rice flour to achieve an even finer
consistency. The technique for giving shape to this
biscuit is quite tricky. They can be salty, in which
case uses salt syrup instead of the sugar one.
Ready to serve Kholak (tsampa/namphey mixed in butter tea)
It is the most commonly used food that involves no
cooking. The dish is the ultimate quick and easy
breakfast, lunch, trek or anytime food. The flour is
made by grinding the roasted grains of barley
(generally known as tsampa in Tibetan and namphey in
Ladakhi), foxtail millet (tse-tse phey), or wheat (choptsos) to a fine powder which is generally referred to as
phey. Kholak is made by adding the powder to any
liquid or semi-liquid and bought to a consistency,
where it does not stick to the hand through proper
mixing and accordingly named (Fig. 8).
Sbangphe (Chhang residue kholak)
Chuu kholak
Chuu means water. Phey is added to water with a
pinch of salt or sugar. Mostly used by hunters or
travelers when nothing else is available.
Cha Kholak
Cha means tea. Kholak made by adding phey to tea
(made from green tea leaves and salt in place of sugar).
Der Kholak
Derba means butter milk. This is made by adding
phey to butter milk.
Chhang Kholak
Chhang means local barley made fermented drink.
Phey is added to chhang. It has a sour taste and is
mostly preferred by travelers.
Phemar (Kholak for the sweet-tooth)
Phemar is usually served only to guests or on
special occasions such as weddings. Phey is added to
salt tea with a lump of butter. Sugar can be added
depending upon individual’s choice.
Chubtsos (one of the major ingredients of phemar)
For chubtsos, wheat grain is boiled and made soft.
Then it is strained, sun dried and roasted in a big pan, it
is then mixed half and half with namphey and kept
specifically for this dish (Kholak). To make kholak,
chubtsos is added to tea with a large lump of butter and
sugar to taste. It taste better than the rest of the kholaks,
and is mostly served on special occasions only.
Kushi Phey Kholak (crushed dried apple with namphey)
This is made in villages for wedding and the parties
to celebrate a baby’s first year.
Chuli Phe Kholak (Powdered dried apricot with namphey)
This is a refreshing food mostly used by travelers.
It is mildly laxating.
Tsiri Kholak (diluted chhang kholak)
Baril (Walnut and apricot kernel dip)
In some villages, especially in the Sham area they
boil peas, then dry and ground them into flour,
shranphey, to be used with namphey or kholak.
This is from Sham area, or anywhere where there
are walnuts. It can be eaten during breakfast or lunch,
with bread or kholak.
554
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 4 OCTOBER 2009
Fig. 8—Preparation of Kholak
Thud (Butter and dried cheese brick)
Common in Changthang and Zanskar valley, it is
made by mixing local butter, ground dried cheese and
sugar together. This mixture is then shaped into a
brick. It will keep for a long time, especially in
winter.
Ruskhu (Soup made from bones)
It can be eaten with kholak or paba, or on its own.
Others
Yogurt, curd and vegetables (especially roots like
radish and swede). Kholak can be taken as such with
tea, butter, vegetable/meat preparations, tsamik,
chhang etc.
Paba (Mixed grain and legume flour pudding)
Another most commonly used food in Ladakh is
paba and is popular in all the classes all over the
region (Fig. 9). It is another healthy dish often taken
to the fields, for lunch at sowing or harvesting time.
Paba flour is called yotches and can have different
ingredients, depending on what is grown in the area.
It can include barley or wheat or both with any of the
legumes like peas, broad beans or lathyrus to male it
more nutritious and palatable which is half roasted
and ground7. In some places, they grind caraway
(locally known as kosnyot) seed with the flour to give
a good flavour3. Traditionally, paba is cooked in a
special stone pot called doltok. Some of the dishes or
soups are oftenly taken with paba.
Tsamik
It is a sauce made from coriander and mint leaves,
radish and onion. All the items are pounded in a
mortar. To this, chilly powder and salt is added.
Sometimes, curd or butter milk is added to obtain a
thick paste. The simplest tsamik is a mix of dried and
crushed chilies with salt. In the Zanskar valley, radish
leaves as well as dried leaves of wild plants are used;
it is a yogurt dip for eating with paba.
Tangthur (Green-leafed vegetables and buttermilk or yogurt)
Quite a variety of green leafy vegetables are
grown in Ladakh such as spinach, ldums
(cos lettuce), mongol, salad (Chinese cabbage),
sugar beet (leaves only), radish leaves, celery
(leaves only) and cabbage. Some people also use
chrysanthemum leaves (pato). In villages, tangthur
made with wild green vegetables is served. The
proportion of vegetables to butter milk (or yugurt)
depends on choice.
Zathuk (Nettle soup)
Nettle (Urtica hyperboria) grows high up in
Ladakh. In winter, especially in villages, people
take it with paba. People in Tibet and Ladakh,
believes that the great Tibetan Yogi Milarepa, while
meditating in the mountains survived by eating nettle.
ANGCHOK et al.: TRADITIONAL FOODS AND BEVERAGES OF LADAKH
555
Fig. 9—Preparation of Paba
Tsong chhu (Onion soup)
This is very simple and quick to make.
(Tsampa with melted butter)
A little tsampa is added to melted butter.
Markhu
Sharjen (Thick dried or frozen
meat soup)
In former times this soup was common in most part
of Ladakh, but nowadays it is found mostly in Changthang and Zanskar areas.
Tsha chhu or Shespa (meat broath)
Tsap-Thuk
Tsap is flour made from pre-germinated barley. The
barley grains are washed and kept in a sunny place till
they germinate. The germinated barley seeds are dried
and then ground into flour. The flour is cooked in plain
water. No salt or sugar is added. It has a sweet taste.
Its use is restricted to the winter months and is believed
to be good for stomach and effective in couch control.
It is a food used during extreme cold months.
Chhan-Thuk
This is another soup from the Zanskar valley and it
has two versions8. In one, meat, salt and spices are
boiled up in water with a small amount of paba, and
eaten with it. In the other it is simply a soup, made
without paba and eaten with it.
Half cooked barley grains are beaten in a pestle and
mortar. They are rolled into small balls. These balls
are frozen and stored for use during long winter
months. Small quantities of this chhan are added to
thukpa and mostly cooked with the head and leg parts
of goat/sheep.
Thukpa
Ngamthuk (Tsampa soup)
Thukpa is the generic term for a variety of soups
(using wheat or barley flour in many cases) and what
we might call stews with wheat flour noodles.
Literally, it means over cooked. It is a thick soup or
noodle cooked to taste. It is made from namphey,
wheat flour, or rice and is accordingly named. In the
villages, the flour used will be the strong local variety.
Chhurphe, the dried cottage cheese is what gives
those dishes a special zip (Fig. 10). The procedure
varies with the main ingredients and is supposed to
provide warmth in winter, cure cold and also as an
elixir for curing constipation in the elderly people.
This soup can be eaten at any meal, generally at
breakfast, when it makes a cheering start, especially
in winter. It is given whenever somebody catches
cold. To make it more nutritious, small pieces of
meat, local pea and chhurphe is also added.
Jamthuk (Unroasted barley flour soup)
This soup is the same but is made with unroasted
barley flour.
Pakthuk (wheat flour noodle soup)
Pakphe means wheat flour or dough. This dish can
be eaten at any time of year and is very cheering in
556
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 4 OCTOBER 2009
the winter. In this season, the labuk (local radishlarge pink-skinned), dug up from an underground
storage pit and the spinach reconstituted from what
was dried on the roof of the house during the growing
season; those who have a green house, have fresh
green leafy vegetables, Pakthuk in the Zanslar valley
is made using butter instead of the vegetable oil8.
For this dish, Ladakhis do not use potatoes, carrots or
swedes, as these are sweet. Before onions were
widely available, villagers would have used skotse
(Allium przewalskianum) – wild garlic, as flavouring,
and in some remote area they still use it. Nowadays,
some people add tomatoes to the onion. The simplest
version omits the cheese, peas, and eggs.
Guthuk (9 ingredients soup)
Made like pakthuk, this is a special soup for one of
the days of the Losar celebration. These ingredients,
which are some of the 9 for the soup, would be
specially obtained for Losar.
Thenthuk (Soup with hand made noodles)
Thenthuk, the Tibetan name for this dish, meaning
something torn. The dish is like pakthuk but with
short noodles.
Gyathuk (Chinese thukpa)
Chinese cuisine has influenced this sophisticated
modern version of pakthuk, often made for parties. It
is sometimes served with meat only.
vegetables are added to it. The dough can be made
into different shapes (Fig. 11). Potatoes and carrots
are a common combination, although it can be taken
with green leafy vegetables. Adding meat to it is also
common (for which the meat has to be cooked earlier
before putting the shaped dough, so that both is
cooked simultaneously). In the Zanskar valley, this
dish is known as chubtse (chubtsos)7.
Skyu (Cap-shaped noodles stew)
This dish is similar to chhu tagi and, like it,
originally very simple. The ingredients are as for
chhu tagi. Generally, moderately less water is added,
compared to chhu tagi, but it should certainly not be
as dry as kholak or paba. If meat is added, then
it has to be pre-cooked with ginger or garlic, or both
as in chhu tagi. In the Sham area, apricot kernels are
sometimes used if there is no meat available.
There is another version of skyu known as O-Skyu in
which milk (oma) is added with water for the sauce.
It is made mainly in villages, where there is a ready
supply of fresh milk. It is a very tasty variant.
Paktsa Marku (Noodle balls in water)
This is a version of Skyu often made at the
beginning of the first Tibetan month for fasting,
during which many Buddhist devotees do not eat ‘hot’
food like onions or garlic. It is also made in gompas
(monastery), when it is known as lama paktsa. There
the sugar, and sometimes butter, will be omitted.
Lama Pakthuk (Monks’ wheat flour soup)
This dish is often made for monks when they came
to the house to say special prayers3.
Steam cooked
Trimthuk (Soup with hand rolled noodles)
This steamed bread (Fig. 12) dish originates in Tibet
and is made mostly in the eastern (Changthang) area of
Ladakh. Timok are good with cooked vegetables or dal.
A dish which is made mainly for people who are
sick.
Timok (Streamed bread twist)
Trapthuk
To make this, add salt to the liquid in which drapu
dumplings have been boiled (drapu is dumplings with
ground apricot kernel sauce). It is more common in
apricot growing areas, such as sham. Drapu is a very
nutritious dish, eaten for dinner on its own,
particularly after threshing, or on fast days.
The liquid in which the dumplings have been cooked
is known as trapthuk. The sauce can be kept for
2-3 days.
Mok Mok (Steamed dumplings filled with meat or vegetables)
Chhu Tagi (Bow-tie noodle stew)
Loko Mok Mok (Cup-shaped dumplings)
The literal meaning is water bread (chhu means
water and tagi means bread). This dish would
originally have been very simple with just a little salt
and perhaps onion to flavour the tagi3. These days,
This originates in Tibet and nowadays is mostly
confined to the Zanskar valley. The dough is made as
for chhu tagi, moderately dry/stiff. Break off small
pieces to make into balls, and then push in with thumb
A dish that originates from Tibet, probably with
Chinese influence (Fig. 13). The meat version is often
served as a starter at parties or on special occasions
when it will be eaten with pickle or chutney. As a
super dish for the family it will probably be
accompanied by a simple soup made from either
mutton bones or vegetable stock, also served with a
salad of tomatoes and onions (a modern introduction).
ANGCHOK et al.: TRADITIONAL FOODS AND BEVERAGES OF LADAKH
to make a shape like a handless cup. The dumplings
are boiled, or steamed like mom mok, and eaten with
vegetables or meat.
Beverages
Gur Gur Cha or Shrusma Cha (Butter tea)
Usually a supply will be made in the morning, put
in a clay samovar heated with cow dung – and served
at frequent intervals throughout the day. Often extra
butter will be put in the tea to be soaked by bread;
tsampa may also be added at times, anything from
just one pinch to quite a lot.
Khunak (Salted black tea)
This is the basic tea chhathang (boil the tea leaves
in an open pot and make a concentrate, is then poured
off and stored in a jag or jar as the basis for the drink.
It can be kept for a few days) to which water is added
and boiled up with salt but not churned. People in the
Kargil area tend to drink this and milk tea rather than
gur gur cha.
Cha Shrul (Butter tea with tsampa)
This is butter tea with enough tsampa mixed in to
make it soup like.
Chuli Chhu (Apricot juice)
Chulli is one of the less refined types of apricot and
is usually dried with the stone removed. In early
spring when nothing much is available, the dried fruit
is soaked and the juice is drunk. A drink made out of
apricot kernel is tsigu chhu. This drink is made with
apricot kernels (tsigu) ground and mixed with water.
It comes from the sham area, where apricot grows
abundantly.
557
Arak (Distilled chhang)
It is made by collecting the boiled-off vapour from
alcoholic drinks. Chhang and arak is made in small
quantities throughout Ladakh (only by the Buddhist
households).
Rguntshang (Fermented grape drink)
Grapes are grown in the lower valleys of Ladakh,
in the Da-Hanu areas, where the Brokpa, or Dards,
live. This drink is mildly alcoholic.
Milk products
Milk and its products is a major and important
ingredient in many of the food and beverages
(e.g. o-skyu and gur gur cha, respectively) in Ladakh
(Fig. 16).
Sri (Post natal milk)
It is the milk, obtained from the cow, dri or dzomo
for a day or two after she has given birth. The milk is
heated and is then left to stand, after which it is eaten
with tagi shrabmo and a little sugar or salt. The
mother of the house (in whose house the calf has been
born) tries to makes it available to every member of
the family and next door neighbours, especially the
children.
Labo (Cottage cheese)
it is eaten fresh with chappati or kholak; sometimes
sugar is added.
Chhurkhu (whey)
It is very nutritious and has the property to give
instant energy. Generally farmers take it just after
they have finished their work (like ploughing).
Chhang (Fermented barley drink)
Chhurphe (dried cottage cheese)
In Ladakh, chhang is the general word for alcohol,
but here it refers to the barley drink. Skyems is the
polite word for chhang. The Ladakhi word for yeast is
phabs. It mostly comes from the Nubra valley and can
be found in the market in nuggets form. There are
various ways of making this brew, (generally
prepared in wooden drums known as Zem), resulting
in different strengths (Fig. 14). This drink would be
submitted to carefully tasting by one of the older
ladies and pronounced good or not so good. Mostly,
liberal dollops of tsampa will be put on top of the
poured drink and this is called chhang shrul. As a sigh
of honour, guests are served chhang with a small
piece of butter on the beautiful brass pot, known as
chhabskyen, from which chhang is usually served, or
one put on the glass (Fig. 15).
It is made by forming labo into nuggets and then
dried. It is mostly used in thukpa.
Conclusion
Ladakh’s local economy, which has provided
enough food for its people is now being invaded by
produce from industrial farms located on the other
side of the Himalayas. Due to which for many
Ladakhis, it is no longer worthwhile to continue
farming. For instance rice, which had previously
been a luxury in the Ladakhi diet, but now that it
was so cheap, it quickly became a staple3. And as the
desire to appear modern grows, people are rejecting
their own culture. Even the traditional foods are no
longer a source of pride. In addition to these, these
changes carry with them the danger inherent in any
558
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 8, No. 4 OCTOBER 2009
Fig. 16—Preparation of milk products
cash crop scheme the world over: that such crop will
replace those that are needed for the survival of the
local population. Despite all these, there have also
been positive changes both to the quality of life and in
attitudes to traditions and the culture. The
Government has helped with irrigation schemes to
bring more land under cultivation. The establishments
of various research institutes related to agriculture,
with expertise in sustainable agriculture and the use of
renewable energy has let to the wide spread and
beneficial introduction of green house technology,
one instance where Government subsidies are well
spent3. This, where they have been constructed, have
already made it possible to extend the growing
season, providing, for most of the winter, fresh green
leafy vegetables such as spinach, celery and lettuce,
together with herbs such as mint and coriander. The
inevitable monotony of dried vegetables has thereby
been much relieved, and the diet, has improved in
respect of fresh vegetables especially during winter
season - the bleakest time of year as far as fresh
produce is concerned, when ground stored and dried
vegetables have mostly been used up and the roads
are not yet open. In spite of the influx of a
cosmopolitan culture as a result of boost in tourism,
and better connectivity with the outside world with
improving communication infrastructure (virtual and
real), people in Ladakh are still fond of their
traditional foods. The traditional food system is
followed especially in marriages and other cultural
ceremonies. These traditional foods of Ladakh are
prepared by making use of the indigenous
agricultural products and are simple and easy to
make with rare use of spices. The foods are
indicative of the simplicity of their ways of life and
also an indicator of the impact of surrounding
environment of the people living in this area. Among
the foods, kholak, paba, skyu and khambir are the
most common foods. While the consumption of meat
is more among the nomads of Changthang, whose
main occupation is pastoral farming. Meat
consumption is comparatively more in Muslims,
especially during winter season.
References
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Anonymous, Statistical Digest, (Government of Jammu and
Kashmir), 1993.
Angchok D & Singh P, Traditional irrigation and water
distribution system in Ladakh, Indian J Traditional
Knowledge, 5 (3) (2006) 397.
Reifenberg G, Ladakhi Kitchen, (Melong Publication of
Ladakh, Leh), 1998.
Vigne GT, Travels in Kashmir, Ladakh, II, (Iskardo), 1842,
344-45.
Fraser D, Transhimalaya unveiled (originally The Marches of
Hindustan, ca. 1906), I (reprint), 1986, 106.
Rizvi J, Ladakh: Crossroads of High Asia, (Oxford
University Press), 1983.
Mir MS & Mir AA, Ethnic foods of Ladakh (J&K) India, In:
Dynamics of Cold Arid Agriculture, edited by Sharma JP &
Mir A, (Kalyani Publication, New Delhi), 2000, 297-306.
Crook John H & Osmaston Henry A, Himalayan Buddhist
Villages: Environment, Resources, Society and Religious Life
in Zangskar, Ladakh, (Motilal Banarsidass Publication,
Delhi), 1994.
Norberg H, Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, (Oxford
University Press, New Delhi), 1992.